I. prowl 1 /praʊl/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
1 . if an animal prowls, it moves around an area quietly, especially because it is hunting another animal
2 . if someone prowls, they move around an area slowly and quietly, especially because they are involved in a criminal activity or because they are looking for something:
gangs of teenagers prowling the streets
prowl around/about British English :
Irene prowled restlessly around the room.
II. prowl 2 BrE AmE noun
be/go on the prowl (for something/somebody)
a) if an animal is on the prowl, it is hunting
b) if someone is on the prowl, they are moving around different places, looking for an opportunity to do something:
local men out on the prowl (=looking for people to have a sexual relationship with) in the city’s bars and nightclubs
She’s always on the prowl for bargains.